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Cathy Wogamon-Harmon's picture

By Cathy L. Harmon, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, CWON, CFCN

The impact of diabetic foot wounds is extensive. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a major concern among those with diabetes. Research estimates that 25% of adults with diabetes may suffer a DFU sometime in their lifetime, with 20% of those requiring amputation.1 It is also estimated that DFUs cost around $1.4 billion for inpatient care alone.1

Mary Brennan's picture

Mary R Brennan, RN, MBA, CWON

Inquisitive nurses have questioned the status quo and challenged the current standards available at the time. They believed there was an improvement that could be made, and so these nurses began the process of validating their concerns or questions. Was this easy? Probably not, but their conviction to seek out a better method drove them to look, investigate, and validate their work. I would like to share a few stories of nurses who have changed our practice and hopefully inspire you to ask the question: Why are we doing this?

Lauren Lazarevski's picture

By Lauren Lazarevski, RN, BSN, CWOCN

Up here in Western New York, we are still “digging out” – literally and metaphorically - from the historic blizzards and freezing temperatures that have hit our area. While we are no strangers to snow and subzero temperatures, the rapid deterioration seen in our recent storm posed a swift and formidable risk to the many residents who quickly found themselves stranded. Predictably, we still are seeing an increase in frostbite cases related to the weather event. I’ve summarized the guiding principles we’ve used to develop treatment guidelines for our patients suffering from the unfortunate effects of frostbite, but first, below is some background on this condition.

Thanoon Thabet's picture

Thanoon Thabet, BSN, RN, WTA-C

Chronic wound pain is a complicated condition with both physical and psychological aspects. The magnitude of pain is usually contingent on the depth of the wound and whether an infection is present. Nevertheless, providing adequate pain relief can be challenging due to wound management’s multi-faceted nature. It is essential to understand the physiology of pain, the types, its impact on healing, assessment techniques, and various wound care approaches to develop a comprehensive care plan for patients with wounds.

WoundSource Practice Accelerator's picture

The presence of more than one chronic condition in an individual is often referred to as comorbidity. Various comorbidities can interfere with, or inhibit, wound healing processes. These conditions are associated with complex management, economic burden, and poor outcomes. Some of these obstacles to healing include nutritional abnormalities, aging, diabetes, and infection to name a few. The prevalence of such comorbidities in patients with complex wounds reinforces the importance of identifying these conditions and finding ways to mitigate the risks they pose to wound healing.

WoundSource Practice Accelerator's picture

Vascular ulcers are wounds on the skin that form as the result of abnormal blood circulation in the body, including arterial and venous etiologies. Estimates suggest 3-5% of those over 65 in the United States have a vascular ulcer. Of those with peripheral arterial disease, approximately 20-70% have chronic wounds, according to data up to 2018. Since arterial ulcers may be underdiagnosed, certain experts theorize that the number of chronic wounds developed due to arterial insufficiency is higher in reality.

WoundSource Practice Accelerator's picture

Severe burn wounds are among the most debilitating injuries because they can significantly affect the entire body. The body’s inflammatory response to a severe burn injury can lead to fluid loss, dangerously low blood pressure, and shock. The risk of infection is also elevated in patients with severe burn wounds. Therefore, prevention of these complications is a key component of care for these patients.

WoundSource Practice Accelerator's picture

Surgical wounds originate when a surgeon cuts into tissue with a surgical tool, such as a scalpel. The size and placement of a surgical wound will depend entirely on the procedure performed due to varying incision requirements.

Regardless, most surgical interventions aim for wound closure with primary repair. Tissue edges are typically brought together and held in place by various modalities, such as sutures or staples. However, this result isn’t always the case, as some wounds may be left open to heal secondarily or may fail to heal primarily. This piece will discuss the surgical wound timeline, various complications of a surgical wound, signs/symptoms of infection, along with the recovery process for patients.

WoundSource Practice Accelerator's picture

Acute wound: An alteration in skin integrity, such as a simple laceration or a surgical wound, that typically moves through the healing process and heals in a predictable timeframe without complication. An acute wound results from a documentable event with the assumption that it will progress normally through the 4 phases of wound healing.

WoundSource Editors's picture

By The WoundSource Editors

Catherine T. Milne, MSN, APRN, CWOCN-AP, will present “Dressed for Success: Cases in Collagen” at WoundCon Spring on Friday, March 10, 2023. WoundSource had the chance to speak with her to learn more about the upcoming session and what she hopes attendees will take away from the discussion.